Envelope sealing device



R. G. DUFFIELD, JR

1 ENVELOPE SEALING DEVICE I Filed July 9, 1937 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to an envelope sealing device and has for its object the provision of an improved device of this nature.

By my invention there is provided a device adapted to moisten the gumrned side of the flap of an envelope, fold saidiiap inwardly'under or over the body of the envelope and seal said moistened and folded flap to the body of the envelope, all while said envelope is moved along a support or supports. A preferred form of the device comprises means for moistening the gummed side of the flap of the envelope; a support along which the envelope may be moved, said support presenting an edge about which the flap of the envelope may be folded, a flap folding member adapted to fold the flap .of the envelope about this edge as the envelope is moved along the support and pressure means for sealing the moistened and folded flap of the envelope to the body of the envelope.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated one embodiment of my invention. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking into the sealing end of the device; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, partly broken away, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, I represents a member adapted to support the body A of an envelope having a flap B. While I have shown this supporting member in the form of a plane surface, it could be in any convenient form, the principal requirement being that it presentan edge 2 about which the flap of the envelope may be folded from an open to a closed position. The envelope supporting member I is preferably supported, as for example by the sides 2|], a suificient distance above the level of a table, for example, on which the device may be placed, to permit the flap of the envelope to be folded around the edge 2 without dragging against the surface of the table.

My device comprises means for moistening the flap of the envelope, which, as shown in the drawing, may conveniently be located in an extension 4 at one end of the supporting surface I. 0 Any suitable means may be employed for moistening the gummed flap of the envelope, for ex ample a sponge, wick, brush, etc. In the form shown, the moistening device comprises aroller 5, which may be partially immersed in a trough 6 containing water. The moistening means may conveniently project through an aperture I in the extension 4.

A guide 8 for directing the gummed side of the envelope flap against the moistening means is preferably provided. This guide may conven 5 iently have one corner bent up as at 9 for convenience in opening the flap of the envelope preparatory to the sealing operation, or another form of projection for this purpose may be provided if desired.

A flap folding member III presents a surface which extends in the general direction of the edge 2 of the supporting member I, but is inclined with relation to said edge. This folding surface extends from a point I I beyond the edge 2 and above the surface 4 to a point I2 below the body of the supporting member I, that is, on the opposite or forward side of the edge 2. Preferably the folding member II] extends from a point II above the plane of the supporting surface I to a point I2 beneath said surface. This relationship, however, depends upon the plane of the moistening device with relation to the supporting surface I.

Means for pressing the moistened and folded flap B against the back of the body A of the envelope are provided. Such means may conveniently comprise the surface I3 having associate ed therewith the pressure member I I which, either by reason of inherent resiliency or by pressure applied thereto, as for example by a weight or spring, co-operates with the surface I3 to press the moistened flap against the back of the envelope. A lateral guide I5 and a vertical guide I6 are preferably provided to direct the envelope between the pressure members I3 and I4 for the sealing of the envelope. a

It will be noted that the surface I terminates at the end I8, to permit the moistened and folded flap, which has been folded under said surface I, to come into contact with the back of the envelope, as the envelope passes onto the surface I3 and through the pressure sealing means.

In lieu of the support I3 and co-operating pressure member I 4, co-operating rollers or any other convenient means for pressing the gummed surface of the flap against the back of the envelope may be used.

The use of my improved envelope sealer may be as follows:

The operator picks up the envelope, which has previously been filled, and if the flap of the envelope is not in open position it may conveniently be opened by dragging the envelope, address side up. forwardly over the bent upcorner 9 of the 55 guide 8. The operator then slides the open flap B of the envelope between the surface 4 and the guide 8. The envelope is then moved from left to right, as shown in the drawing. It will be seen that as the envelope moves in this direction, the open flap B passes over the moistening means 5 projecting through the aperture I in the surface 4, and the gummed side of the flap is brought into contact with the moistening means 5 by the guide 8.

As the envelope is moved from left to right along the supporting surface I, the fold line of the flap being approximately on the edge 2, or slightly beyond this edge, the ungummed side of the flap comes into contact with the flap folding member l0. As the envelope is further moved along the surface I in this position, the flap is forced by the inclined surface of the folding member I0 around the edge 2 and into folded position on the under side of the support l, so that by the time the envelope reaches the end l8 of the support I, the flap is folded under the support, the body of the envelope and the flap being separated by the support. As the envelope passes beyond the end l8, it comes onto the surface l3 and the gummed surface of the flap is free to come in contact with the back of the body A of the envelope and is pressed against the back of the envelope by the co-operating pressure members l3 and I4.

The guides 15 and I6 serve to facilitate speed of operation by maintaining the envelope in proper position for the completion of the folding operation and by presenting it properly to the sealing means.

After it has passed through the sealing means, the operator may release the envelope.

It will be obvious that numerous modifications of the specific structure illustrated in the drawing may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. The supporting surface I may, as stated, be of any convenient form so long as it provides a convenient guide for moving the envelope along and presents an edge 2 about which the flap may be folded. The flap folding member ID may be in the form of a rod, as shown, or in any other convenient form so long as it presents a surface adapted to come into contact with the ungummed side of the flap of the envelope and to fold said flap under or over the body of the envelope as the envelope is moved along the surface I. The moistening and sealing means may take any of a variety of forms. Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the specific form of device shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An envelope sealing device comprising a supporting member adapted to support the body of an envelope, and associated therewith a flap folding member presenting a surface extending from a point above the plane of said supporting member and beyond the edge of said member to a point beneath the body of said supporting member, said flap folding member being adapted to engage the ungummed side of the flap of an envelope and to fold said flap while the envelope is moved along said supporting member.

2. An envelope sealing device comprising a supporting member adapted to support the body of an envelope, and associated therewith a flap folding member presenting a surface which extends generally along the edge of said supporting member, but is inclined with relation to said edge, from a point above the plane of said supporting member and beyond the edge of said member to a point below the plane of said supporting member and inside of the edge thereof, said flap folding member being adapted to engage the ungummed side of the flap of an envelope and to fold said flap while the envelope is moved along said supporting member.

3. An envelope sealing device comprising a supporting member adapted to support the body of an envelope, said member presenting an edge about which the flap of an envelope may be folded, and associated therewith a flap folding member which presents a surface extending generally along the edge of said supporting member but inclined with relation thereto from a point above and to the rear of said edge to a point below and forwardly of said edge, said flap folding member being adapted to engage the ungummed side of the flap of an envelope and to fold said flap while the envelope is moved along said supporting member.

4. An envelope sealing device comprising a supporting member adapted to support the body of an envelope, means projecting beyond said supporting member and adapted to support the open flap of an envelope resting on said supporting member, a flap folding member presenting a surface extending generally along but not parallel with the edge of said supporting member, from a point overlying said means to a point underlying said supporting member.

5. An envelope sealing device comprising a supporting member presenting a surface adapted to support the body of an envelope while the flap is being folded and a surface to receive the envelope after the flap has been folded, flap folding means presenting a surface inclined with relation to the edge of said supporting surface and extending generally along said edge from a point on one side of the plane of said supporting surface and beyond the edge thereof to a point on the opposite side of the plane of said supporting surface and on the opposite side of the edge thereof and above the receiving surface, and pressure means above said receiving surface for sealing the folded flap of an envelope.

6. In an envelope sealing device having flap moistening means a supporting member for the body of an envelope, said member presenting an edge about which the flap of an envelope may be folded, flap folding means presenting a surface extending generally along the edge of said supporting means but inclined with relation thereto, said flap folding means being adapted to engage the ungummed side of the fiap of an envelope and to fold said flap while the envelope is moved along said supporting member, and pressure means for sealing the moistened and folded flap against the body of the envelope, said pressure means being spaced from said supporting means sufficiently to permit the folded flap of the envelope to pass from beneath the surface of said supporting means into contact with the body of the envelope and through said sealing means.

'7. In an envelope sealing device having flap moistening means a member adapted to support the body of an envelope, said member presenting an edge about which the flap of an envelope may be folded, flap folding means presenting a surface extending generally along said edge of said supporting member, said flap folding means being adapted to engage the ungummed side of the flap of an envelope and to fold said flap while the envelope is moved along said supporting memher, and means for sealing the moistened and folded flap against the body of the envelope, said sealing means being so positioned with relation to said supporting member as to permit the folded flap of the envelope to come into contact with the body of the envelope before the envelope has passed through said sealing means.

8. In an envelope sealing device having means for moistening the gummed side of the flap, a member for supporting the envelope while the flap is being folded, said member having an edge about which the flap of the envelope is to be folded, a flap folding member extending from a point above and beyond said edge generally along said edge and downwardly to a point beneath said supporting member and having an extension beyond the same, and a member for receiving the envelope after the flap has been folded located beyond the supporting member and beneath the extension of the flap folding member.

ROBERT G. DUFFIELD, JR. 

